Refreshing News

A local startup is hitting it big with vibrant vessels serving people and pooches alike

Browse Amazon reviews for Mount Pleasant-based Healthy Human’s stainless steel water bottles, tumblers, pints, and pet bowls, and you’ll notice positivity and praise galore. You’ll also find that each and every comment is accompanied by a reply from the company. “We want to bring a human touch to the online world,” says president Natalie Shultz, who cofounded the e-commerce biz with CEO Richard Stanton in 2014. Every Healthy Human tweet, pin, and post is crafted in-house, as well.

That inviting, hands-on approach helps the business spread its mission, which is to offer convenient and appealing alternatives to environmentally unfriendly and potentially toxic plastic water bottles while helping consumers improve their health by drinking more agua. “We studied the market extensively to create products that the everyday person could and would enjoy,” Shultz says. For example, she notes, the steins were designed with a three- to four-finger carry handle for easy toting. They can keep cold drinks cool for 24 hours and hot beverages warm for half a day.

So far, so good for the local company: since launching products last October, Healthy Human has generated more than $1 million in revenue. Even so, Shultz says they are ever-focused on improving: coffee and sport lids for steins, plus additional color and size options, will be released later this year, and products will soon be sold via Amazon U.K., Japan, and Canada, in addition to Amazon U.S. and healthyhumanlife.com. “The power of online sales is that you can be everywhere, every day, all the time,” says Shultz.

➼ Stein Water Bottles: The insulated, double-walled bottles are vacuum-sealed to keep bevs cold for 24 hours and hot for 12. They’re sold in five sizes ($25-$55), ranging from 16 to 64 ounces, with universal lids.

➼ Rover Pints: Sub in these vessels—available in plain or patterned sets ($23 for four)— for Solo cups. You can buy lids, which also fit the company’s tumblers, separately.

➼ Go Pet Bento: Healthy Human’s products for pets come with two, three, or four interlocking bowls ($19-$27). The top one has a vacuum-sealed lid that locks in 16 ounces of water, while the others are suited to kibble, treats, and supplies.